


Fall

by BeyondTheClouds777



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Don't copy to another site, Gen, He's trying his best and he's doing great, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Injury Recovery, Kageyama Tobio is a Good Friend, Late Night Conversations, Literal Sleeping Together, Non-Permanent injury - Freeform, Platonic Cuddling, Stress-Vomiting, TW: Emetophobia, Team Mom Sugawara Koushi, hinata deserves love and comfort and he gets all of it, it comes and goes super quick but yes, lots of comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21758632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeyondTheClouds777/pseuds/BeyondTheClouds777
Summary: Hinata jumped all the time. Jumping was histhing.Hinata and jumping went together like yin and yang. Jumping described him, jumping gave him the power he needed to level the playing field, jumping brought that goofy,oh socharacteristic smile to his stupid happy face and Kageyama can’t imagine a timeline where Hinatadoesn’tjump like that.It isn’t the jumping that gets him, though.It’s the landing.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou & Kageyama Tobio
Comments: 13
Kudos: 298





	Fall

**Author's Note:**

> sometimes you just need someone to hold you and tell you it'll be okay.

It only took one second for everything to fall into chaotic overhaul.

Hinata jumped all the time. It was his _thing._ Hinata and jumping went together like yin and yang. Jumping described him, jumping gave him the power he needed to level the playing field, jumping brought that goofy, _oh so_ characteristic smile to his stupid happy face and Kageyama can’t imagine a timeline where Hinata _doesn’t_ jump like that. 

It isn’t the jumping that gets him, though. 

It’s the landing. 

They’re in a match when it happens. Kageyama barely remembers what team they’re playing against. Hinata doesn’t even _spike_ the ball, he jumps as a decoy, like he always does regardlessly of whether or not he’s actually hitting it. Which makes the entire thing feel that much more stupid and _pointless._

But Asahi slams the ball down into the other side of the court, the spikers land, Hinata shrieks, and suddenly nothing is okay anymore. 

The sound of it almost throws Kageyama off-balance and he barely catches himself in time, whirling around with the rest of the team. Hinata is on the court floor, clutching his leg, gritting his teeth. He’d shrieked before but now the only sound he’s making is that of his heavy breathing. 

Something in Kageyama’s stomach twists until it’s in his throat. And then it strangles him. 

_“Hinata!”_

He isn’t the first person to start moving, but he’s the first person to reach his side. Something in the back of his mind tells him not to move Hinata in case he smacked his head or injured his spine on the way down, but all of that gets thrown down the drain when Hinata tries to sit up. It’s not his head or his neck, it’s his leg. 

And—

God, _god,_ it _is_ his leg. And it’s obvious in a way that makes Kageyama gag. 

“Hey.” Kageyama takes him by the shoulder and pushes him back down. Hinata’s wide, glassy eyes reflect the too-bright overheads and stare into his desperately. “Don’t get up, stupid,” Kageyama snaps, trying not to be too harsh but he can’t help it, really. “The medics are gonna take you.” 

"What happened?" Ukai and Takeda are here, too. Kageyama doesn't trust his poker face enough to look them in the eyes. Someone starts explaining it. Takeda tries coaxing Hinata to lie still and breathe. The rest of the team is there. Sugawara takes Hinata by the hand, exchanging words to Daichi that Kageyama doesn’t pick up on. Nishinoya is at Hinata’s other side, asking him questions. The rest of it is a blur because Kageyama is so focused on holding Hinata’s gaze to do anything else. 

“K-Kageyama, I—” 

“I know,” Kageyama says, and somehow he does, because this is Hinata, and he knows Hinata, and he _knows._ He doesn’t think about it and in hindsight maybe he should have, but he takes the hand Sugawara isn’t holding and squeezes it. “You’re gonna be fine.” 

The medics show up moments later, wheeling in a stretcher and running like it’s their lives on the line. Daichi and Tanaka force the rest of the team back and they begrudgingly comply; Kageyama has to be physically dragged off by Sugawara, and the hardest part of this is that scared, glassy look in Hinata’s eyes when he has to let go of his hand. 

Hinata is checked quickly and loaded onto the stretcher before any of them can completely register it. Somehow in the back of his mind Kageyama sees their opponents watching wide-eyed and scared. He can’t speak. 

“He’ll be okay, won’t he?” 

“He’ll be fine, don’t worry.” 

Kageyama doesn’t even know who says what. His head is spinning. He can’t get Hinata’s eyes out of his mind. 

“I’m going with him,” he says, surprised that he spoke and even more surprised by the steadiness in his tone. Sugawara, Daichi, Nishinoya, Asahi, Tanaka—They all turn to look at him, wide-eyed. They looked as shocked as he is. 

“You can win without me,” Kageyama says, and somehow remembers the score. 19 to 13, with Karasuno leading. This is the last set and if they can hack it, they win. “You don’t need me but I, Hinata—” _Does._

Daichi’s hand lands on his shoulder and squeezes. “Alright. Take care of him for us, alright?” 

“And tell him we’ll win,” Tanaka adds, stepping up. “Knowing that guy, that’s all he’s thinking about now. Tell him we’ve got this and he doesn’t have to worry about anything but himself.”

Kageyama nods stiffly, spins on his heel and takes off. He hears the ref’s whistle behind him and then he’s in the hallway. 

In what feels like two strides, he’s nearly caught up with the medics and the stretcher. Hinata sees him before they do, face twisted and tears lining his cheeks, and that’s all it takes before Kageyama redoubles his pace and takes his hand again. The medics are speaking to one another, and they notice him, but they don’t push him away. 

“—We have to relocate it, but let’s get him into a room first—” 

The words haunt him. He tries not to let it show. 

“You’re a dumbass,” Kageyama says, for no reason other than it feels like the right thing to say. “You know that, right?” 

Hinata offers what is probably the tightest, most strained smile he’s ever seen from anyone. “Of c-course,” he chokes. Kageyama grips his fingers a little tighter. 

The medics bring them into a small back room with as much equipment as a doctor’s office. The stretcher is parked by the wall in between two machines and the medics disperse, gathering this and that while Kageyama stands by Hinata’s side. He isn’t good at comforting, he never has been but this is _Hinata._ He _knows_ this stupid idiot like he knows the back of his hand. Better than that. 

“Kageyama?” Hinata’s voice is small and Kageyama would do anything to take it away from him. 

“Yeah, I’m here. What is it?” 

“Wh-What are they going to do?” 

“They’re going to help you, obviously.” 

“B-But, I—I’m scared—”

“I know. Dumbass. You don’t have to be scared, I’ve got you. I’m not gonna let them hurt you.”

He wishes he had someone to blame, because everything is swirling like a tsunami within him with nowhere to go but around and around in circles. There’s no discharge. There’s no one to point the finger at. It’s a feeling like asphyxiation, but instead of a physical thing, it’s a mental thing. 

“Just look at me,” Kageyama says, which feels dumb because Hinata is already _doing_ that, but. “Look at me, nothing else. It’s gonna be okay, I swear it.” 

Hinata sobs wetly, but nods and holds his gaze. “Oka—Okay.” 

One of the medics tap him on the shoulder. He’s so on-edge that he almost swings around and slaps them by accident. 

“We’re going to relocate his knee,” the medic says with strained professionalism. “You don’t have to stay—” 

“I’m going to,” Kageyama says, and in the back of his mind thinks about how hard it’d be for the medics to make him leave. “I won’t get in your way but I need to be here.” 

The medic nods. “That’s fine,” he says. “You can hold his hand, too, and touch him. The more distracted he is the better.” 

It’s confirmation, at least, that Kageyama isn’t going to break Hinata by putting his hands on him. _Distraction_ and _touch_ are the words that stick with him, and he nods, thanks the medic, and then it’s just him and Hinata with the medics swarming around them. 

“W-What did he say?” Hinata asks, pale in the face and dazed in the eyes. 

“They’re just gonna fix your knee,” Kageyama says. “Kinda like—Remember that time Tsukishima messed up his hand? They had to shove his finger back into joint? That’s what they’re doing.” 

Hinata pales further. “But—W-With my knee?” 

Tsukishima injured himself just a few months ago during a practice. Tsukishima had bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed while the school nurse took care of it.

Maybe that wasn’t the best comparison to bring up here.

“It’ll be over before you know it,” Kageyama says instead. “Don’t worry.” 

Hinata doesn’t look comforted in the slightest, but he nods and holds Kageyama’s hand tighter, like he’s expecting him to pull away. “A-Are you… c-can—” 

“Yeah, I’m staying. I’m here.” 

Some of the tension in Hinata’s shoulders eases. 

The medics return to them, and the impending _it’s time_ is never outright said, but the atmosphere is different. One of them has a splint ready. The other is by Hinata’s leg, hands hovering by it carefully. Kageyama can tell the moment the medic straightens it out, because Hinata jerks and clutches Kageyama’s so hard he thinks he might actually break his fingers. 

“Calm down, stupid, calm down,” Kageyama says, even though he understands and he knows he’d do the same thing if their positions were reversed. “They haven’t started yet, it’s okay.” 

“It _hurts,”_ Hinata strains, choked, as new tears slip down his face. “I-I don’t—I don’t want to—” 

“Shh, it’s okay.” Kageyama leans over him until he can press their foreheads together, because if there’s one thing he doesn’t want Hinata doing, it’s watching. “It’s okay. It’s okay, yeah? Remember what I told you? As long as I’m here…” 

Hinata sobs.

“Hinata-kun, we’re going to count down from three,” the medic says. “Take a deep breath. It’ll be over in a flash.” 

Hinata tenses and Kageyama squeezes his eyes shut to brace the both of them. He clutches Hinata’s hand, Hinata clutches his in return. He lets his other hand settle on Hinata’s shoulder, and he can hear his heart pound. 

“Kageyama—” 

“Don’t think about it,” Kageyama says. “Don’t watch. Don’t listen. I’m here, okay? If you’re going to focus on anything, focus on me.” 

The medics are in position, and their voices reach Kageyama’s ear like the countdown on a bomb. 

“Three, t—”

They don’t finish the countdown. There’s a sickening _pop_ and a _crack,_ and Hinata _screams._

It’s a sound that blots out the rest of the world in blinking, glaring shades of red and white and overpowers every single one of Kageyama’s senses. The medics are talking again, _it’s over, it’s over,_ and they’re fastening a splint around his knee now and Hinata isn’t screaming anymore but he’s sobbing and shaking. 

“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s over,” Kageyama finds himself saying even though he doesn’t remember wanting to speak. “It’s okay, they’re done, it’s over—” 

Hinata gags, and the medics must have been expecting something like this because they have him up and leaning over a small trash can in no time. Kageyama’s heart pounds wildly but he doesn’t let himself dwell on anything that isn’t Hinata. He keeps holding his hand. Hinata throws up. 

“Did he hit his head?” Kageyama questions, voice cracking near the end. All he can remember are horror stories his parents drilled into him about sports injuries and concussions and symptoms of a bigger issue. 

But the medic pats his shoulder and shakes his head. “It’s most likely from pain and stress, but we’ll keep an eye on him.” 

Hinata gags again and Kageyama sits with him on the edge of the stretcher and braces him with arms around his chest. He keeps holding his hand. The splint on his knee is finally set; it’s blue and clunky, and Kageyama hopes it isn’t as uncomfortable as it looks. 

“It’s okay,” Kageyama keeps saying, because it’s all he can do. “It’s okay. You’re okay.” 

It’s over eventually—the entire thing, the knee, the splinting, the throwing up—and then Hinata is on his back again, breathlessly thanking anyone who’ll listen even though it sounds more like incoherent babbling than anything else. 

One of the medics squeezes his ankle soothingly. “We’re going to wait for your stomach to settle a bit before we give you any painkillers, alright? Or we can give them to you through your IV.” 

IV? They’re setting up an IV? It makes _sense_ because Hinata just played a full set and was probably dehydrated _before_ throwing up. But, still, Hinata pales further at it and the medic’s smile is sincere and gentle. 

“It’s alright, you won’t even know it’s happening. Don’t worry.” 

Compared to the knee, Hinata doesn’t know. The IV is placed and set so efficiently that Hinata actually asks for a countdown after it’s already been done. They set him up with fluids and administer painkillers directly that way, which is good because even though the ordeal is mostly over, Hinata hasn’t stopped crying. Or holding Kageyama’s hand.

“We’re going to let you rest now,” one of the medics says—and it’s now Kageyama realizes that they’re mostly alone, with this medic the exception. “You’ll probably sleep for a while. I’ll call your parents.” Hinata nods shakily. The medic looks at Kageyama.

“Hinata Shouyou,” Kageyama says. 

The medic nods and writes it down. “Thank you. I’ll let his parents know what’s going on—if they can’t pick him up, you should be alright taking him home on the bus. Just don’t let him exert himself. He’s going to be in pain and we don’t want him losing his footing and dislocating it again.” 

Now _Kageyama_ feels sick, but he nods. That _will not_ happen and he’ll die before he lets that happen. 

“You’re free to stay with him,” the medic continues. “Just press this button—” She points, “—if he seems to be in worse pain or if he starts vomiting again.” 

Kageyama nods. “I’ll look after him. Thank you.” 

The medic thanks him in return and heads out, closing the door gently behind her and leaving the two of them alone. Kageyama sits down at Hinata’s side again. Hinata blinks up at him. 

“So.” Kageyama sighs, shuddering. “That was. An ordeal.” 

Hinata snorts quietly. Kageyama reaches out to stroke his sweaty hair off his forehead. 

“How’re you feeling?” 

“P…” _Usually_ Hinata probably wouldn’t, but now he leans into Kageyama’s touch weakly. At least he stopped crying. “P-Pretty crappy. Not gonna lie.” 

“Yeah, I don’t blame you.” 

Hinata drags in a long, stammering breath. His hand in Kageyama’s trembles, and it’s only now that Kageyama realizes just how badly. 

“K-Kageyama, I—I can’t calm down,” Hinata strains, and sobs dryly and unproductively, too worn out and exhausted to cry anymore. “E-Everything f… f-feels like it’s spinning, a-and—”

“Shh. It’s okay,” Kageyama soothes in a way that doesn’t feel like himself, but he doesn’t complain. “It’s okay. Do you think you’re gonna be sick again?” 

“N-Not right now,” Hinata says, “I-I just—I don’t know h-how to relax, I—” 

It isn’t until Kageyama looks a little closer that he realizes what he should’ve realized a while ago. Hinata’s hand trembling in his, the way his breaths stop and start abnormally, the fact that he never takes a deep one. His eyes are glassy and unfocused, skin ashenly pale. Kageyama feels his pulse, thready and fast, where he’s holding his hand. 

It’s normal. Hinata handles anxiety about as well as can be expected of an emotional, over-thinking eleventh grader. Kageyama has seen him like this a number of times, just… not when they were alone. Not when he was in a position where he’s the only person who can fix it. 

Kageyama sighs slowly. “Don’t move,” he says. Hinata nods in a way that says _I wasn’t planning on it,_ and Kageyama (without letting go of his hand, which he isn’t sure he’ll ever actually be able to do now) squeezes in beside him, in the empty spot between Hinata’s side and the railing of the stretcher. Hinata almost scoots over to give him more room, but Kageyama holds his shoulder. 

“You’re gonna regret trying to move with your knee like it is,” Kageyama says. “Don’t even think about it.” 

Hinata doesn’t try again, and Kageyama takes some time settling in. The fit isn’t exactly a comfortable one, but that doesn’t matter. He lets Hinata rest his head on his chest and it’s like it was meant to be. 

“Listen to my heartbeat,” Kageyama says, and takes another leap and bound out of his comfort zone by wrapping his arms around Hinata’s shoulders and tugging him in closer. Once Hinata is there, and Kageyama can feel the frantic, overtime beat of his heart, his comfort zones no longer exist and it’s just Hinata as a friend who needs him. “You don’t need to do anything, you don’t need to think about anything, or worry about anything, or say anything, just—listen. Listen and breathe.” 

Hinata inhales shudderingly, nods against him, and Kageyama shuts his eyes. 

If this doesn’t work, he’ll call the medics back, because surely Hinata in this state isn’t a good thing. But, he doesn’t need to. He absentmindedly strokes Hinata’s hair, promising that he’s okay, that he’ll be back to his usual self in no time, that he’ll be here every step of the way. And Hinata must believe him, because his heart slows gradually and he's asleep before Kageyama knows it. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Ah, sorry, Kageyama. Did I wake you?” 

Kageyama blinks until his sight clears enough. The first thing he sees is Hinata’s mop of bright hair; and then beyond that there’s Sugawara, sitting in a rolling stool by the bedside. 

Kageyama takes his time coming to, each scraping inch of the past several hours returning to him one second at a time. He’s exhausted, drained and every synonym in between. His arms still cling lazily to Hinata, and Hinata’s just as dead of a weight as he was when he first fell asleep. He’s snoring softly, and drooling, which is—gross, but at least it means he’s sleeping alright. He’ll be okay. 

Kageyama manages to detangle himself from Hinata without jostling his leg or rousing him, and he sits up. “No, I don’t think you did,” he finally answers when he remembers he’d been asked a question. “What time is it…?” 

Sugawara smiles gently. He has a hand resting on Hinata’s forearm. “We just finished the match,” he says, keeping his voice low. “It took a little longer than we thought it would, but it hasn’t been long since Hinata was brought back. Maybe an hour.” 

Oh, he forgot about the match. 

“We won, of course,” Sugawara says. “And I don’t say that out of pride, but—everyone was anxious to see Hinata as soon as they could. As soon as the two of you were gone, the other team didn’t stand a chance. They didn’t score another point the whole game.” 

Kageyama glances down at Hinata. The tear-tracks are still very evident on his cheeks, but there’s some more color there now. He looks just a little bit more like himself. Hopefully that brace can go soon; Kageyama can already imagine how much of a pain that’s going to be to deal with.

Sugawara catches him glancing and smiles again, softer this time. “I could have sworn they would’ve woken you two up when they came thundering in to see him,” he says with no small amount of mirth. “But you were out pretty hard, both of you. They didn’t want to leave, but, they understood. They’re packing up everyone’s things now.” 

Kageyama nods. Sugawara lifts his hand from Hinata’s shoulder and rises to his feet.

“I’ll tell them you’re up,” Sugawara says. “We’ll be heading out pretty soon. The medics stopped Hinata’s IV a little while ago, they said he can leave as soon as we’re ready.” 

Kageyama nods again. “Thank you,” he says. “I—I appreciate it. It might not look like it, but—” 

Sugawara laughs quietly and nods. “I understand,” he says. “It’s no trouble. Thank you for looking after him.” 

Kageyama feels stupid for nodding a third time, but he does, and Sugawara doesn’t seem to mind. He heads out and Kageyama is left alone with Hinata. He wonders if Hinata will be able to walk on his own or if he’d need someone to lean on. That brace looks pretty heavy-duty, but it can’t be comfortable, and besides, he just got his _literal knee_ shoved back into place, he isn’t going to be 100% right out of that. 

Hinata stirs then, cracking his eyes open. He blinks up at Kageyama and Kageyama blinks back. 

“... Hi.” 

“Hi.” 

“How long was I…?” 

“An hour, I think.” 

Hinata makes a noise of affirmation and looks away. His eyes find his brace. 

“Oh.” He sounds torn between surprised and knowingly disappointed. “ That happened.” 

“Yeah.” Kageyama pulls his knees against his chest. “How’s it feel?” 

“Kind of…” Hinata sits up, rolls his shoulders and shakes out his hair. “Numb, I think? It doesn’t necessarily feel _bad_ I don’t think.” He finds his wrist next, specifically the wad of gauze taped over where the IV needle had been. “... Although I probably have this to thank for that.”

“Mm,” Kageyama says, but he hopes not. He hopes Hinata won’t have to be on painkillers just to feel like his knee isn’t being torn apart. “The team’s getting the bus loaded, we’re waiting for Sugawara and then we’ll head out.”

“Did we win the game?”

Kageyama exhales sharply. “Of course we did, dumbass.” 

Hinata _beams,_ and the world feels just a little brighter for it. 

It isn’t long before they get word from the team, not from Sugawara but from Nishinoya and Tanaka, who have come to “rescue their kohai from mortal doom.” They brush off every single one of Hinata’s attempts at reassuring them and they don’t let him walk on his own, taking each of his arms over their shoulders and leading him on while Kageyama trails behind, Hinata’s jacket slung over his shoulder. 

The team is ecstatic to see Hinata up and moving. There’s a conversation that needs to happen between Hinata, Hinata’s mother and Hinata’s doctor as soon as they’re back home, and it’ll probably have Hinata off the court for several weeks _(at least)_ and even then he’ll probably still have to wear a brace when he plays but, there’s the unspoken relief of his just _being okay_ that has everyone in a good mood, including Hinata. 

With Hinata smiling like that, Kageyama can’t find it in him to be anything but relieved. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The verdict is basically as expected. Hinata isn’t allowed on the court for six weeks. It’s not a _death_ sentence or anything, but with the initial adrenaline and relief a thing of the past, it’s hard not to be bummed out. Luckily they don’t have any big matches coming up, and of course Hinata can still practice spiking and overhand receiving granted he doesn’t skid or make any sharp movements, but it’s still a damper. Hinata does his damndest not to seem upset about it, but he’s never been subtle. When the sunshine dims, people tend to notice. 

Kageyama sticks closer to his side than usual, shooting down whatever harsh, self-blaming condemnations Hinata pounds himself with, but Kageyama knows it isn’t enough. He doesn’t know how to tell Hinata that he knows he’s faking it. He doesn’t know how to tell Hinata that it’s okay to be real, _especially_ with his teammates. 

Three weeks into Hinata’s recovery, it’s 10pm on a Friday night and Kageyama is awoken by thunder. 

He never did like thunder. Something about adolescent him getting lost in a storm when he was like? Maybe seven. He wouldn’t necessarily call himself _scared_ of it, but he definitely isn’t over it, either. He sits on his bed and counts the moments in between rolls. Eight seconds. It’ll be on top of them soon enough. Fantastic. 

He sighs. 

The sound of his phone going off is enough to launch his heart into his throat and he almost flings it into the wall as hard as he can, stopping only when he realizes. He shakes himself out of his funk as best he can and swipes open the device. 

He’d missed two texts before this one, and all three are from Hinata. 

**[Dumbass] [9:47pm]** **  
****hey, you awake?** **  
****its ok if youre not**

 **[Dumbass] [10:13pm]** **  
****nvm its fine**

Kageyama finds it in him not to hurl his phone for another reason. His fingers have never moved faster. 

**[Kageyama Tobio] [10:14pm]** **  
****I was sleeping, stupid, don’t ‘nevermind’ me.** **  
****What’s wrong?**

The answer comes too quickly.

 **[Dumbass] [10:14pm]** **  
****nothing**

 **[Kageyama Tobio] [10:14pm]** **  
****Bullshit.** **  
****What’s wrong?**

 **[Dumbass] [10:16pm]** **  
****promise you wont be mad?**

 **[Kageyama Tobio] [10:16]** **  
****No.** **  
****What’s wrong?**

 **[Dumbass] [10:17pm]** **  
****its my leg. it** **  
****really hurts**

 **[Kageyama Tobio] [10:17pm]** **  
****Why the hell would I be mad at you for that?** **  
****Oh my god did you injure it again.**

 **[Dumbass] [10:18pm]** **  
****NO** **  
****i dont know what it is?? i think its the weather i dont know** **  
****it just really hurts i dont know what to do**

 **[Kageyama Tobio] [10:18pm]** **  
****Is your mom there?**

 **[Dumbass] [10:19pm]** **  
****no, she left for business again a week ago. she took natsu with her.**

Kageyama tries not to blanch. He doesn’t know very much about Ms. Hinata, only that she came home just long enough to get an appointment with Hinata’s doctor regarding his injury. And now she’s taken off again. It makes him angry in a way that doesn’t usually suit him. Usually his anger is petty and unfounded. 

He wishes that was the case this time. Things are always simpler when it’s just him being a jackass and not an actual problem he has no control over. 

**[Kageyama Tobio] [10:21pm]** **  
****Hinata, you have not been honest with me a single day since the incident.** **  
****I want you to be honest with me now. Okay?** **  
****If you were only ever honest to me once in your life it has to be right now.**

 **[Dumbass] [10:24pm]** **  
****okay**

 **[Kageyama Tobio] [10:24pm]** **  
****Do you need me to come over?**

 **[Dumbass] [10:24pm]** **  
****i**

 **[Dumbass] [10:31pm]** **  
****yes** **  
****please**

That’s all it takes. Kageyama swings himself out of bed, doesn’t bother changing out of his t-shirt and sweatpants and shoves his sleeves through the heaviest jacket he owns. It hasn’t started raining yet; now’s his chance to make a break for it. 

**[Kageyama Tobio] [10:32pm]** **  
****Alright. I’m on my way.** **  
****Have you taken painkillers?**

He really shouldn’t be texting and running but screw it. If he can multitask on the court surely he can multitask here. There’s no small amount of glaring flaws in that logic but he doesn’t care enough to think it through. 

**[Dumbass] [10:34pm]** **  
****i took some a few hours ago but they didnt help** **  
****they havent been helping the past few times ive taken them actually**

 **[Kageyama Tobio] [10:34pm]** **  
****Dumbass, that’s why you tell someone so the doctor can get you on better meds.** **  
****What the hell.**

 **[Dumbass] [10:35pm]** **  
****my mom is gone, who do you want me to tell? you? what are you gonna do about it?** **  
****im sorry that was harsh im sorry**

 **[Kageyama Tobio] [10:35pm]** **  
****I’m not gonna bite your head off, chill.** **  
****You’re in pain. It’s justified.** **  
****I’ll be there real soon, okay? Try putting some ice on it. And get a heating pad. Switch out every 20 minutes.** **  
****I’ll be there in just a minute.**

 **[Dumbass] [10:37pm]** **  
****ok** **  
****thank you so much**

 **[Kageyama Tobio] [10:38pm]** **  
****Don’t worry about it.**

Kageyama has never been more thankful for the thunder disturbing his sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hinata answers the door looking like he’d just crawled out of a coffin. Kageyama surges forward _immediately_ and takes him by the forearms because he really doesn’t trust someone who looks like that to stay on their feet. 

That, and Hinata is trembling so hard that it’s a miracle he’s able to stay on his feet for any duration of time to begin with. 

“Dumbass, I was gonna use your spare key, you didn’t have to _get up,”_ Kageyama manages, ignoring how icy Hinata’s skin feels under his hands. “You’re supposed to be resting, _god,_ you’re an idiot—”

Hinata clings to him, though, and Kageyama’s words never held much malice to them in the first place. He hugs Hinata back and lets him lean his weight into his chest. He really is trembling too hard for comfort, and there are tears on his cheeks again. Something Kageyama hoped and prayed he’d never see again. 

“Come on,” Kageyama says, gently prompting him back into the house. “Come on, you’ve gotta sit down. You’re in pain and you’re _freezing,_ stupid, you’ve gotta sit down.”

Kageyama leads him inside, kicking the door shut behind him and toeing out of his shoes. It’s definitely colder than it’s been the past several weeks. It’s no wonder Hinata’s leg is bothering him. Kageyama’s struggling with an old wrist injury himself, which throbs dully enough for him to ignore. But he can’t imagine how Hinata is feeling. Especially to have him reacting in this away. 

It’s like he’s injured all over again. 

Kageyama has half a mind to make tea or something, or force him to snack on some crackers because he _really_ doesn’t look like himself, but there’s a good chance he’s stressed enough to throw it up and that _isn’t_ something Hinata needs to be dealing with right now. Kageyama also toys with the idea of finding YouTube videos, or listening to music, or _something,_ but. He really, really doesn’t want to force Hinata to let go of him and he really, really doesn’t want to let go himself. 

So. 

Kageyama decides to screw it and collapses onto the couch, back-first and dragging Hinata down on top of him. Their ankles clack, but Kageyama’s superior height leaves Hinata’s head on his chest. Hinata’s heart is pounding again. It’s almost louder than when he was first injured.

“Hey, calm down,” he murmurs, holding him close and secure. “You’re really gonna hurt yourself. It’s okay. You’re gonna be okay.”

“I-I don’t know what to do,” Hinata sobs, and he sounds so hopeless and lost that it makes Kageyama’s heart do a weird little thing that in hindsight he’d call _breaking._ “N-Nothing helps, I—”

He stops himself there. Kageyama would do anything in the world to take this away from him. 

“I’m sorry,” Kageyama says. “I—I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do, either.” 

“I-I know,” Hinata manages, strangled. “I-I know. It-It’s okay. T… Thank you for being here, I—thank you, _thank you—”_

Thunder cracks. Kageyama and Hinata both nearly jump out of their skin. 

“S-Sorry,” Hinata apologizes just as Kageyama opens his mouth to do the same. He turns his face into Kageyama’s chest, breathing shakily. “I-I’m… not a huge fan of storms.” 

“Me, neither,” Kageyama says. Hinata’s the first person he’s ever admitted this to. “Sorry. Shitty storms have shitty timing.” 

Hinata releases a wet giggle against his chest. “Y-Yeah…” 

He’s still shaking too hard, breathing too hard, heart beating too hard. The storm isn’t making things any easier, and neither is Kageyama’s silence. 

“Is there something I can do?” Kageyama asks. “Seriously, I—anything I can do to help, anything at all, is—how do I help you?” 

“You’re already helping,” Hinata croaks, so incredibly quiet but so incredibly sure. He settles further into Kageyama’s arms and lets him hold him as tight as he wants. “Th-This is—This is more than enough. Thank you.”

It doesn’t _feel_ like enough, but it’s the best they’ve got right now. Kageyama presses his forehead into Hinata’s hair and leaves it there long enough for Hinata to understand. 

They’ve always had a way of understanding each other. Sometimes the less they spoke, the more they understood.

Kageyama eventually moves, reaching and twisting around just enough to snag the blanket from the back of the couch. Hinata’s splint is digging into his calves, and it’s not _comfortable,_ but who gives a damn, anyway. He kicks the blanket out over the two of them, taking more care to cover Hinata fully than himself. Hinata breathes another shaky thank-you and Kageyama hugs him tight.

He listens, letting Hinata listen to his heartbeat and hoping he’s managed to keep it from elevating. He listens for Hinata’s breathing to slow. He listens for Hinata’s heartbeat to stabilize. He waits for Hinata’s grip on the front of his shirt to loosen and eventually fall, and he waits until he can murmur, “Hinata?” and not get a response. 

It’s only after he knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Hinata will be okay through the night that he lets himself settle back against the arm of the couch and close his eyes. Their heartbeats follow each other’s rhythm, and Kageyama feels at home knowing that Hinata feels the same way. 

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you all enjoyed the fic!!!  
> you can hit me up on [tumblr](https://pocket-full-of-wonder.tumblr.com/) too if you'd like and leave prompts/requests of other things you'd like to see in this series! i'd love to hear from y'all <3
> 
> thank you for reading!!!!


End file.
